Grasping the Evil

Chapter 619: The Three Favors You Owe Me

In the desolate mountains, Ning Fan stood from dawn until dusk, silently waiting.

He waited until Mu Luo and Youhuang finished their farewells before releasing Mu Luo from the umbrella world.

"No need for thanks in great kindness!" Mu Luo clasped his fist heavily towards Ning Fan, his expression exceptionally solemn.

Previously, he protected Yue Country for Ning Fan only for the sake of Bright Sparrow.

But now, Ning Fan has rescued the Min Luo Race and brought back Youhuang, which made Mu Luo genuinely grateful to Ning Fan.

Mu Luo also learned about Ning Fan’s deeds in the Tree World from the mouth of the Min Luo Race people.

Subduing Nieli of the Void Fragmentation Realm, killing Wan Chang Kong... such illustrious achievements made Mu Luo deeply sigh, looking at Ning Fan with eyes full of gratitude and unmistakable admiration.

Mu Luo carefully examined the purple seal on Ning Fan’s left face, took a deep breath, and made a decision.

"I’ve never liked accepting kindness without reciprocation. The seal on you is quite formidable; I have no way to remove it... Could you possibly tell me the whole story of how you got sealed?"

"Of course."

Ning Fan walked side by side with Mu Luo into the pavilion, waved his sleeve to summon wine bottles, and drank to Mu Luo’s liquor.

Ning Fan almost held nothing back from Mu Luo, recounting the entire journey to the Tree World and battles at the Land of Demons.

He even told Mu Luo about the grievances with Rain World.

Mu Luo himself is a rogue devil cultivator, an important force in protecting the Yue Country.

Ning Fan offended Nirvana Palace, the Three Realms Sect, and Rain World, making enemies in secret and in public alike.

He had to inform Mu Luo of the intelligence about his enemies, so Mu Luo would know who they were; if they ever attacked, he could prepare accordingly.

Mu Luo quietly listened to Ning Fan’s account: capturing Nieli, subduing rogue devil, killing Puppet Emperor, executing Vine Emperor, slicing Moksha Emperor, destroying the Master of the Three Realms...

Mu Luo asks himself, having lived for two million years, whether his heart would be as firm as a stone. But hearing Ning Fan’s one after another brilliant accomplishment, he couldn’t help but feel a slight shock.

Mu Luo’s own self is merely rogue devil in cultivation, but Ning Fan has subdued a rogue devil to act as a thrasher, which truly left Mu Luo astonished.

Mu Luo found it hard to imagine, that little Harmonious Spirit who once could be extinguished by a mere flicker, has now grown to such an astonishing degree. After stirring an uproar in the Tree World, he then successively slain two major figures from Demon World and the Four Heavens.

"The younger generation is truly formidable, truly formidable..." Mu Luo drank the wine in the cup aggressively, revealing a complexion of being rather ashamed.

At Ning Fan’s age, Mu Luo was only a little Divinity Transformation within the tribe while Ning Fan at the same age has already shaken the world.

"I have been a friendless loner all my life, but have some fate with you. I owe you a favor; initially wanted to help you remove the immortal-grade seal, but unfortunately, I cannot remove it... If forcibly breaking the seal, it would jeopardize your life..." Mu Luo sighed, his eyes rather guilty.

"No problem. If I can attain immortality within a hundred years, the seal will break itself, what is there to worry?" Ning Fan took it lightly.

"Oh, immortality within a century is easier said than done... Here, take this!"

Mu Luo sighed, opening his mouth to spew out a black beam. The black beam transformed into a brocade box, landing on the stone table.

The brocade box shimmered faintly as it slowly opened. Inside, it contained a pitch-black fruit core about an inch in diameter, engraved with eight golden patterns.

"This is..." With his experience, Ning Fan couldn’t recognize what this fruit core was.

Luo You, however, recognized it and reminded in spirit, "This is the core of the Immortal Fruit, and moreover it’s a legendary immortal-quality core."

Indeed, as Luo You had just advised, Mu Luo then explained,

"This is the core of the Eight-Pattern Immortal Fruit, a treasure I accidentally obtained while I was in the Tree World, with effects of resisting disasters and extending life. Take it. If you haven’t become immortal after a hundred years, you’re sure to be devoured by the seal, when that happens, this Immortal Fruit Core will protect you. At most, it will just be a serious injury, but your life can still be saved."

Ning Fan gazed quietly at the Immortal Fruit Core, his expression unwavering as a storm brewed within.

Immortal Tree, Immortal Tree!

Instantly, Ning Fan recalled Wuxie’s words, claiming the Ancient Heaven Land had an Immortal Tree that could help Mu Weiliang reform her soul.

At this moment, he immediately ignored the notion of using it to save his own life, with only one thought in his mind.

This core from the Immortal Tree - could it help Mu Weiliang restore her soul and awaken!

He reached out and grasped the Immortal Fruit Core from within the brocade box. Upon holding the core, Ning Fan felt a vast force of life washing through his body, like a clear spring nourishing the soul, cool and refreshing.

"This core indeed has the effect of nurturing the soul, yet one mere core is far from enough to reconstruct Weiliang’s soul..."

"Not enough..." Ning Fan sighed.

It was merely a core, not a complete Immortal Fruit.

The fruit of the Immortal Tree is known as the Immortal Fruit, its quality divided by the number of golden patterns.

One to seven patterns are Mortal Grade, eight or more patterns are Immortal Grade.

If there were several eight-pattern Immortal Fruits or several hundred of seven-pattern or fewer Immortal Fruits, Ning Fan was confident in reconstructing Mu Weiliang’s soul.

But unfortunately, Ning Fan had only one core, albeit of high grade, it’s insufficient to reconstruct the soul.

"Not enough? Alas, indeed not enough, having only one eight-pattern core can only preserve your soul from perishing during seal backlash, but your body would still suffer severe damage. If only there were more cores. Sadly, this old man obtained only one core in a lifetime..."

Mu Luo shook his head with a sigh as he did not know Ning Fan meant otherwise when he said ’not enough.’

"No, it’s enough. Thank you for your kind intentions, Senior, I’ll shamelessly accept this Immortal Fruit Core."

Ning Fan closed the brocade box and placed it into his storage pouch.

This eight-pattern core may not be able to save Mu Weiliang, but it’s adequate to save his own life. No matter whether he becomes immortal within a century or not, he won’t succumb to the seal.

Once the Ancient Heaven Land opens, Ning Fan is determined to seek the Immortal Tree.

Flesh for Weiliang to consume to help her reconstruct her soul, core for himself to preserve his life at critical moments.

Therefore, Ning Fan’s situation with the immortal-grade sealing spell didn’t really warrant any substantial concern.

Ning Fan sat for a little while longer before heading back to Sinister Sparrow Sect’s Dark Sparrow’s Grave along with Mu Luo.

He left Si Luo Bamboo Sea and Min Luo Race people within Dark Sparrow’s Grave, allowing Youhuang to meet Mu Luo’s true self.

As for Qingdai, she stayed with Teng Xianrou in Seven Apricot City.

Ning Fan went to see Mu Weiliang once. Mu Weiliang lay quietly in the green jade coffin, slumbering safely.

She originally had a little over ten years before awakening, but Ning Fan cast a spell to delay Mu Weiliang’s awakening slightly.

It was not the time for awakening yet, the best awakening opportunity must await after finding the Immortal Tree.

Ning Fan stroked Mu Weiliang’s slumbering face, slowly closed the green jade coffin, his heart at ease.

Mu Weiliang’s revival was imminent, mother would soon be found, one of the Moksha Emperor’s three bodies was already destroyed, and the revenge for the old monster will soon be fulfilled.

One wish after another, all will be concluded.

The only concern Ning Fan had was the elusive whereabouts of Heaven Separation Sect, preventing a meeting with him.

He was Ning Fan’s father, and he felt there was either little or no reason to eventually meet him.

But what to do after meeting, he was uncertain.

"Heaven Separation Sect once mentioned he’s searching for someone, someone he cannot recall at all..."

Ning Fan departed Yuan Yao World, returned to Seven Apricot City, entered Si Fan Palace.

Bathed in the night snow, he returned to his bedroom. Before stepping inside, he heard the sound of trickling water from within the room.

Opening the door, Ning Fan was taken aback, only to find a wooden tub behind the screen within the room in which a naked woman was happily bathing.

Her bright eyes were like the moon, her wet black hair cascaded, her body uncovered, full and fit.

Her exquisite figure was immersed in a slight mist from the water, faintly reminiscent of the maidens glimmering in the moonlit Palace of Cold Moon.

Realizing Ning Fan had entered, the woman’s face flushed, but she concealed it well, expressing slightly impatiently, "Little cucumber, this mother encountered some constraints in cultivation; help solve it."

Ning Fan’s eyes flickered with desire yet pressed it down, closed the door, walked step by step behind the screen, smiling ambiguously at the bathing woman, "How do you want me to help you?"

This woman bathing in his room was none other than Yue Lingkong.

"Less nonsense!" Yue Lingkong emerged wetly from the wooden tub and pushed Ning Fan onto the ground.

Her body radiated with a shy blush, yet her expression was characteristically uninhibited.

Her breathing grew slightly heavier, carrying a hint of an enticing fragrance.

"Cucumber, I told you, I would make you beg for mercy!"

"Prepare yourself, Cucumber!"

...

After a night of passion, Yue Lingkong was satisfied, used dual cultivation to breakthrough a minor bottleneck, and obediently returned to her room for secluded cultivation.

Ning Fan half-lay on the couch, inhaling the slightly lewd scent on the curtains, finding it both amusing and exasperating.

Had he neglected Yue Lingkong for too long, leaving her so hungry that she initiated the encounter herself?

Thinking this way, Ning Fan realized he had been too preoccupied with his cultivation and the Tree World, inadvertently neglecting the women he had been intimate with.

After dual cultivation with Yue Lingkong, the hidden injuries in Ning Fan’s body had healed significantly.

For Ning Fan, who had cultivated the Yin Yang Transformation to the third level’s second stage, dual cultivation was exceptionally effective for healing.

Once the news of Yue Lingkong and Ning Fan’s dual cultivation and retreat spread, several women in Seven Apricot City couldn’t remain calm.

Ning Fan sat cross-legged in meditation from morning until dusk, slowly exhaling a breath of turbid air.

Just as he was about to stretch his legs, a faint trace of killing intent suddenly arose from outside the door.

Though it was killing intent, it was entwined with thousands of threads of tenderness... it was a classic love-hate relationship.

"Huh? Is it her?" Ning Fan was startled, suddenly flooded with memories.

He closed his eyes pretending to sleep, and after a while, a pink mist floated gently through the door crack, landing on the ground and transforming into a girl clad in a sheer pink chiffon.

The girl was a Golden Core expert. If any elder of the Sinister Sparrow Sect were present, they would recognize her as the sect’s fiery figure — the ’Pink Skeleton’ Bai Lu.

With Ning Fan’s help, she had successfully formed her core and was now at the Early Golden Core stage.

She wore soft silk shoes, stepping lightly and delicately as she walked leisurely to Ning Fan’s bedside.

"You faker, how long are you going to pretend to be asleep, trying to trick me into picking you?" Bai Lu’s tone was dismissive.

Though she feigned disdain, deep inside she felt embarrassed.

She had come here today to ’take revenge’ on Ning Fan...

Her so-called revenge was to exhaust Ning Fan through dual cultivation!

"You seem to have hit a bottleneck as well. Need my help?" Ning Fan opened his eyes, teasingly.

"W-What do you mean..."

Bai Lu instinctively panicked, finding herself swiftly pulled into Ning Fan’s embrace and tossed onto the couch.

And instantly, sounds of tearing fabric and urgent feminine gasps filled the room.

"Wait, I’m not ready yet... um, uh..."

...

The next day, Bai Lu left Seven Apricot City refreshed, returning to the Sinister Sparrow Sect for secluded cultivation.

She was at the Early Golden Core stage, while Ning Fan was in the Return to Origin Grand Void Realm, and with Ning Fan’s help, she had reaped significant benefits.

Inside the room, Ning Fan did not sit cross-legged for meditation; Bai Lu’s cultivation level was far below his, giving him little advantage in dual cultivation.

But it wasn’t to say he gained nothing... at least the process was extremely pleasurable.

The retreats of Yue Lingkong and Bai Lu were hard to keep secret from the women in Seven Apricot City.

On the third night, Lan Mei arrived as scheduled, asking Ning Fan to help ’unblock’ her bottleneck.

On the fourth night, Xu Qiuling sent a small note inviting Ning Fan to her courtyard to ’enjoy the flowers.’

On the fifth night, Ning Fan returned to his room only to find an unexpectedly naked paper crane under the covers...

And by the wall, Mu Xiaoliang, Xiao Huan, and Feng Xueyan crouched, seemingly trying to eavesdrop.

On the sixth night, Ning Fan visited the Cauldron Ring, assisting Bing Ling Yue Ling and the Wind Demoness tea maid to clear bottlenecks.

On the seventh night, Ning Fan guided countless female guards.

On the eighth night, Ning Fan found peace, as everyone who needed his help had greatly benefited from the dual cultivation and went into seclusion.

Under the night sky, bathing in the wind and snow, Ning Fan walked out of Si Fan Palace, strolling through the long streets of Seven Apricot City.

Days of leisurely life relaxed his weary heart, almost compelling him to put down his sword to live forever with the paper crane and others in Seven Apricot City.

But it was far from time to lay down that sword...

Step by step, he headed towards the Godly Void Pavilion, where an elder was waiting respectfully.

This elderly Golden Core expert was Yun Xiu, who once co-hosted the Seven Apricot Auction with Ning Fan.

At the time of the auction, Ning Fan was only in the Vein Opening realm, but now, in the blink of an eye, he was akin to a supreme figure in the Rain Immortal World.

The Godly Void Pavilion was a force from the Four Heavens, and Yun Xiu naturally carried a trace of arrogance.

Yet before Ning Fan, he dared not show any pride; seeing Ning Fan approach, he immediately bowed respectfully with cupped fists, "Yun Xiu, following the orders of the young lady, respectfully welcomes the White Marquis to the Godly Void Pavilion. The young lady instructed, should the White Marquis come, he may go straight to the inner pavilion to meet her."

"I understand. You may leave now."

"Yes!"

Yun Xiu respectfully withdrew, his figure gradually disappearing into the night.

That night, many experts lingered hidden in the shadows around the Godly Void Pavilion, from Nascent Soul to Divinity Transformation.

Their presence could not escape Ning Fan’s spirit sense, as they were there intending to protect the young lady in the inner pavilion.

Unfortunately, it seemed the young lady had no need for their protection.

Ning Fan approached the inner pavilion, a building crafted from ice, lining the small path outside the pavilion, every ten steps was adorned with a purple copper palace lantern.

When Ning Fan neared the pavilion, its doors mysteriously opened without a breeze.

From the room on the lower level of the pavilion, a faint aroma of tea wafted out.

On an empty table, a small red clay stove burned, brewing spiritual tea.

As Ning Fan walked inside, a cloaked girl descended slowly down the long staircase from the pavilion floor above.

The girl’s eyes, as bright as black gemstones, glimmered with mischief,

"Brother Ning is indeed quite the charmer, nestling in the arms of gentle beauties for seven consecutive days. How come you have time to visit my Godly Void Pavilion today?"

While speaking playfully, she gently removed her cloak, storing her spirit equipment within her body.

"Hehe, have you come to return the three favors you owe me..."

Ning Fan smiled slightly, looking silently at the petite girl before him.

She was small in stature, with a soft and delicate physique, her long hair loosely tied up, dressed in a black gauze dress, with a hint of an undergarment peeking beneath.

Her petite bosom was barely enough to fill a hand, resembling tiny doves...

So it was the little demoness of the Godly Void Pavilion.

Though he guessed the identity correctly, Ning Fan had no recollection when he owed the little demoness three favors.

"I owe you three favors? Have I forgotten something?"

"Haven’t you? Being an inheritor of the Ancient Chaos and denying it is rather ungracious." The little demoness slowly approached Ning Fan, her soft body deliberately leaning into his embrace, her fragrance intoxicating.

Beneath her long lashes, her eyes maintained an ever-deepening smile.

"Let me remind you slowly of how you owe me these three favors. Hmm... let’s start from when the Moksha Emperor descended upon Seven Apricot... Sit down and have some tea, will you? This is Qilin Tea, brewed personally by me. It shouldn’t go to waste."

The little demoness playfully blinked, escaping Ning Fan’s embrace, and sat down at the wooden table.

"Starting from the Moksha Emperor, huh..." Ning Fan’s gaze turned serious in an instant. (To be continued. If you enjoyed this work, you are welcome to support it on qidian.com by casting recommendations or monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)